Q1: What is the Decision-making process for Metabical? Who is involved in the process?

Consumer research over the years has shown that shoppers often follow a relatively common shopping behavior for product purchase. In theory, a shopper is said to go through the following five stages as a process. In reality, sometimes the steps may be switched around or even left out, as not all consumers are by rule, always alike. The decision-making process (DMP) for Metabical, Cambridge Sciences Pharmaceuticals‘ (CSP) new weight-loss drug involves several people. The product end-user is the main subject of the decision-making process, but other external parties interject at different stages, influencing the consumer’s ultimate decision. Below is the flow Metabical’s consumers would go through as part of their shopping behaviors.

Stage 1: Need Recognition & Problem Awareness

A recognition occurs that consumers are unhappy with their current body image, their weight or their unhealthy lifestyle. This can come from consumers’ existing, continuous dissatisfaction in terms of their weight physical appearance. It can also be triggered by external media sources such as TV, Outdoor, Radio or Magazine advertisements whereby a variety different visuals, articles, messages can lead to consumer awareness that there is a problem, and a need, that must be satisfied. At this point, both the consumer and the respective media agents are involved in process.

Stage 2: Information Search

In order to find a means to solve their problem and satisfy their 'recognized' need, consumers engage in the search for a solution through information collection. Given the high-involvement with Metabical, with its direct impact on consumers’ health and high possible personal risk, consumers will consult various sources of information to ensure they have as much information they can get in order to